


Budget Meeting

by avrelia



Series: The World of Infinite Hope - canon compliant stories [16]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fire Nation Royal Family, Fire Nation Royal Family are fluffy kittens, Gen, Taxes, governing nation is work, parenting is work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-12 03:22:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20142064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avrelia/pseuds/avrelia
Summary: A thirteen year old at her first Fire Nation Royal council meeting. What could go wrong?





	Budget Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea and I had to write it down. It's really short.

“If we raise taxes on fishing and canneries income 1% higher, our budget will receive resources substantial…” The Finance Minister Wei’s voice droned on and on, explaining the details of his proposal for the next year Fire Nation Budget. 

“But that’s a really stupid idea!” bright confident voice broke the monotone and plunged the throne room into an abyss of silence. 

***

Izumi immediately regretted her words. She knew she shouldn’t interrupt, but his ideas seemed so nonsensical, and … She looked around and didn’t understand what was happening. People’s faces around the room turned into some weird masks, and her dad looked as if he was looking at Koh the Face Stealer that Uncle Aang told her stories about. She almost wished to turn invisible and kept telling herself that a princess should be brave and strong and figure out what is happening. 

Her mom’s calm voice broke the spell. “Princess Izumi, it’s very impolite and disrespectful to interrupt during the council meeting. If you wish to be listened to, you have to show respect to your audience. Please apologize to Minister Wei and everyone else. We’ll talk with you after the meeting is over.” 

The masks turned back into faces, Izumi apologized, and the meeting went on. Her dad still had that weird expression, and everyone seemed to notice it, as she saw curious glances from the ministers thrown in his direction. 

She lost all the interest in the budget discussion and waited for the meeting to be over.

Finally the throne room was empty, with only her, mom and dad left. Dad still sat on his throne, his face in his palms. Mom came and sat by her side, putting her arm around Izumi’s shoulder. 

“I am very upset at your lapse in manners, Izumi. Minister Wei is a competent, hard-working man, and a loyal servant to the Fire Nation. Even if you think his proposal is not good enough, or you have a better idea, you know there is a respectful way of expressing it.”

“I know mom. I really am sorry. It was stupid of me. Am I punished?”

Her mom sighed. “You will go to Minister Wei, talk to him, apologize again. And ask his advice in learning about taxes. And then do whatever he advises you.”

“But why everyone was so weird? And what’s with dad?”

Mom glanced to dad, sighed again and said, “Zuko, come over here, stop scaring the child.”

“I am not a child!”

“Aren’t you? You didn’t prove to be a grown-up just now.”

Dad got up and moved to her other side. 

“Sorry, Izumi. It… used to be a serious offense, to interrupt a meeting like this. So… everyone was waiting to see how I will react.” 

“Just tell her the story, Zuko. She has to know it from you.” Mom’s arm still embraced Izumi tightly, but her voice grew slightly distant, as if she was not quite there.

Dad took a deep breath and started. Izumi loved hearing stories about her parents’ childhood and youth, even though they didn’t tell them very often.

“When I was thirteen, I really wanted to learn everything about ruling the Fire Nation.”

“Just like me?” She frowned. It didn’t sound like a happy story judging by her parents’ serious faces.

“Yes, Izumi, just like you.”

***

“Are you ok?” Izumi left, and Fire lord and lady were sitting alone side by side now. 

“Yes, yes, I am. Did everyone expect me to turn to Ozai just now?” 

“No. Not everyone.” 

Zuko chuckled mirthlessly. “It’s just I realized now... It was nothing. That whole incident that changed my life – it really was nothing. You dealt with it now in two minutes and everyone moved on.” 

“Yes. A thirteen year old with grand ideas and low impulse control, it was bound to happen earlier or later. It was disrespectful, of course, but she can learn to do better.”

“I really did scare her, didn’t I?”

“Izumi was more confused than scared.”

“I’ll have to talk to her later tonight. Make sure she is fine.”

Mai cupped his face and kissed him lightly. “I was more scared for you. Not that you’ll turn into your father, but that you’ll turn into thirteen year old self.”

“I almost did. You saved the situation perfectly.”

Mai shrugged and didn’t answer. 

“You’ve always had a perfect impulse control.” Zuko smiled.

“I’ve had a perfect impulse control because every time I had an impulse I didn’t control, I was punished, or mocked, or used. So, yes, I’ve learned to judge the cost of anything I do. It’s useful. But I don’t want my daughter to learn it he same way.”

He held her hand and squeezed it warmly. She squeezed back and smiled. They sat there for some time, still holding hands, lost in visions of possible pasts.


End file.
